Eyeglass frame



NOV. 23, 1937. MER EN 2,099,748

EYEGLASS FRAME Filed April 2'7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

NOV- 23, 1937. p MERTENS 2,099,748

EYEGLASS FRAME Filed April 27, 1936 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 ATTORNE nrneuss rm um, Newark, 'N. J. Application April 27, 1936, Serial No. 70,512 a cam (Cl. 88-h) 9 This invention 'relatesto improvements in eyeglass frames; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel eyeglass frame of the partial rim type. 1

This invention has for an object to provide a novel eyeglass frame comprising rim sections adapted to receive and engage only a portion of the eyeglass lenses to be supported thereby, so that much of the appearance of a rimless mounting is obtained, while nevertheless aifording a I lens supporting structure which is very strong and durable, and which possesses a neat and attractive appearance.

Another object of this invention is toprovide rim sections of such novel form and construction.

as to greatly facilitate the assembling of lenses therewith, especially by retail opticians; said rim sections having novel lens coupling means cooperative with notches provided in the margins of the lenses, so that, by the mere laying of the lenses within the rim section, the operations of assembling the same are accomplished with great ease and rapidity; whereafter retention of the lenses against displacement from such assembled relations-to the rim sections is attained by application of keeper washers and their fastening screws to the lens coupling means.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front face elevation of an eyeglass frame of the spectacle type made according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear face elevation of the same, somewhat enlarged; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective, showing a. lens and retaining elements in disassembled relation to the frame; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a front face elevation of an eyeglass frame of the Oxford type, made according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rear face elevation of the same, somewhat enlarged; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective, showing a lens and retaining elements in disassembled relation to the frame.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary rear face view showing a modified arrangement of coupling boss and cooperating lens notch.

Similar characters ofreference are employed in the above-described views, to indicate corresponding Darts.

Referring to Figs- 1 to 5 inclusive of the draw- Iings, a frame according to this invention and of the spectacle type is shown, the same comprising a bridge ill from the respective ends of which extend, in opposite directions, the respective rim sections, which, in this case, are respectively provided at their outlyingendsor sides, with temple 10 end pieces or knuckle arms II to which the temples 12 are pivotally connected in any suitable manner. Also connected with the bridge ends, preferably adjacent to the junctions thereof with the rim sections, are rearwardly projecting arms 5 I! by which the nose guards or pads I4 are carried.

The rim sections may be made in variously designed shapes as to the longitudinal extension thereof from the bridge l0. Each rim section comprises a peripheral wall ii to abut the edge of a lens l6 applied thereto, and coincident with and springing angularly from the front marginal portion of said peripheral wall I5 is a supporting wall or ledge portion l1, whereby the rim section is provided with a rearwardly open lens receiving and supporting seat I 8 formed by the included angle of the inner faces of said peripheral wall I5 and said supporting wall or ledge portion l1. Within the lens receiving and supporting seats I8, at points adjacent to the extremities of the rim sections, are formed, in fixed relation to the latter, coupling bosses I 9 disposed in upstanding relation to the inner faces of the supporting walls or ledge portions II, with their outer ends projected toward the rearwardly open faces of said rim sections, and preferably terminating somewhat within the plane of the rearward free edge of said peripheral wall l5. Each rim section is preferably provided with at least two of such 4 coupling bosses l9, although more could be provided if desired; and said coupling bosses of each rim section are suitably spaced apart in more or less opposed relation. Each coupling boss I! is proviged with an axial internally screw-threaded bore 0,

That portion, as 2|, of the perimeter of lens Hi to be embraced by a rim section is, of course,

' ground to a shape conforming to the particular shape desired. Formed in the rim section engaging margin 2| of each lens It, at points correfree end of each coupling boss ll, an

glass frame,

to and conformable with the location of the coupling bosses ll, areopeningl 22 through or into which the latter may extend. Preferably the coupling bosses II are joined to the inner face of the peripheral wall ll of thesection as shown, in which case the lens openings 22 are in the form of indented or outwardly open notches, as shown. if said coupling bosses it are not joined but spaced from the peripheral wall of the rim section, then the openings 22 may consist in enclosed perforations tofit -such form and arrangement of. couplingbosses v I Owing to the fact that the novel rim sections provide rearwardly open lens receivingand supporting seats it, anyone, without necessity for the use of special tools, may easily and quickly apply a lens IS in assembled relation to a rim section. To do this, it is merely necessary to oppose and register the lens marginal portion 2i to and with the outwardly open rear face of the rim section, with the openings or notches 22 aligned with the coupling ll, whereupon the lens i6 is dropped down into the lens receiving and supporting seat ll of the rim section,

until the marginal portion of its front face abuts the. inner face of the supporting wall of ledge portion l1, and the coupling bosses is engage within the lens openings or notches 22, whereupon the lens marginal portion 2| will be embraced or surrounded by the peripheral wall I5 of'the rim section. when the lens I is thus assembled with the rim section, the means for retaining the former against outward displacement from the latter are applied. The retaining means for this purpose comprises perforate washers or clip plates 23. Preferably these washers or clip plates are provided with square inner ends 2 which are somewhat downwardly inclined. as at 25, from the plane of the bodies thereof. It is also prefer-.

able to provide in the inner face of the peripheral wall I! of the rim section, adjacent to the outer indented seat or notch 28 to receive and embrace said square inner ends 2d of the washers or clip plates 22, when the latter are operatively applied over the rear face of lens 18, with their perforations aligned with the internally threaded bores 22. when said washers or clip plates 22 are thus applied, fastening screws 21 are passed therethrough and screwed into the threaded bores of the coupling bosses ll, thereby securing said washers or clip plates over the notched or open portions of the lens it, and abutting the rearward 1 face of the latter so that the same is and firmly held not only against displacement from the embrace of the rim section. but also against any looseness or play relative thereto. When the lenses ll are thus assembled and secured relative to the rimsections, the peripheral walls ll of the latter will overlap'the marginal portions of the outer faces of said lenses, and the whole assembly will notonly produce a strong and efiicient eyeglass frame for the support of the lenses I, but one of very neat and attractive appearance. The rim sections also easily lend themselves to further beautifying enhancement, since the exposed exterior faces of both the peripheral and supporting walls II and "thereof may easily be provided with embellishing engraved or embossed decoration.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 8 inclusive, the novel features of this invention have been shown therein as incorporated in an Oxford type eyethe same comprising a spring bridge III to the respective ends of'which are by their upper ends, inwardly and extending rim sections 3|. Secured to the lower ends of said rim sections ll are the supporting arms by which nose guards or pads a are carried in opposed relation one to the other. -As in the first described construction, each rim section 2i comprises a peripheral wall 15 to abut the edge of a lens I applied thereto, and a supporting wall or ledge portion l1 angular thereto so as to provide the rearwardly open lens receiving and supporting. seat. It. The coupling bosses I! having the internally threaded bores are fixed within the lens receiving and supporting seat It respectively adjacent to the upper and lower ends of each rim section. The lenses I. are provided with the openings or notches 22 spaced'to conform to and match the locations of said coupling bosses l9. When said lenses l6 tion springing are applied to the rim sections II, in the same manner as above described the perforate washers or clip plates 23 are applied and secured by the fastening screws 21, thus retaining the lenses in operative assembled relation to the rim sections.

As shown in Figs. 6 and '1 similar short rim sections it with corresponding lens receiving and retaining means may be utilized to carry and thus aifix'to one of the lenses l6, at a desired point on its periphery, an outwardly projecting finger-piece 85.

Referring to Fig. 9 I have shown the rim section as provided with a modified form of coupling boss and the lens as provided with a modified form of notch for cooperation therewith. In this modified arrangement,'the coupling boss comprises a cylindrical stud i0, and the notch in lens I in the form of an indented dovetail mortice 22' having a wide bottom and converging sides 22" extending to the lens perimeter, and there forming a mouth or gap of less width than the diameter of the .coupling boss or stud II. This arrangement is of advantage when the bosses or studs and lens notches are more or less diametrically spaced, since the mortice or notch 22' will resist by the engagement of its sides 22" with the boss or stud i! any tendency of the rim sections to stretch endwise, and thus pull the bosses or studs away from the notches.

Having now described certain embodiments of my invention and having set forth the novel mode of operation which is afforded thereby in assembling and retaining lenses in connection with eyeglass frames according thereto, I desire to point out that I am aware that various changes could be made in the above-described constructions, and that widely diiferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof; consequently it is intended that all matter contained. in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. g

I claim:- 1. In an eyeglass frame, a lens supporting rim section having a peripheral wall and a ledge porfrom its front marginal portion in right angular relation thereto thereby to provide a rearwardly open lens receiving and supporting seat to embrace a portion ofthe lens perimeter and marginal portions of its front face. spaced apart coupling bosses within the angle of said seat projecting rearwardly from and being integral with said ledge portion and parallel to said peripheral wall to extend into corresponding openings provided in the lens to be engaged in said seat. thereby to retain the applied lensagainst 7 outward displacement relative to said peripheral wall, said coupling bosses having axially disposed internally screw-threaded bores, perforate clipplates for application over the rear face of the applied lens in alignment with said coupling boss bores, said clip plates having end portions bearing on the peripheral wall of the rim section and headed fastening screws, the shanks of which pass through said clip-plates and screw into said coupling boss bores, thereby to retain said lens against rearward displacement relative to said ledge portion.

2. In an eyeglass frame, in combination, a lens, a rim section to conform to a. portion of the perimeter of said lens, said rim section having a rearwardly open seat of right angular crosssectional shape formed by a peripheral wall to abut said lens perimeter and a ledge portion angular thereto to abut marginal portions of the front face of said lens, spaced apart fixed coupling bosses integral with and extending rearwardly from said ledge portion and along said peripheral wall within said angular seat, said lens having correspondingly spaced notches indenting its perimeter adapted to engage over said coupling bosses, perforate retaining elements for application to the rear face of said lens in alignment with said coupling bosses, said peripheral wall of the rim section having indentations adjacent to the free ends of said coupling bosses conformable to end portions of said retaining elements and adapted to embrace the latter to retain the same against displacement, and fastening screws the shanks of which extend through said retaining elements and into threaded connection with said coupling bosses.

3. An eyeglass frame, comprising a pair of lenses, a bridge, and temple connections, a pair of rim sections extending from opposite sides of said bridge to said temple connections and shaped to conform to the upper portions of the perimeters of said lenses, each rim section being of rearwardly open right angle shape in cross-section to provide a horizontal wall to abut perimeter portions of the associated lens and a vertical front wall to engage marginal portions of the front face of said associated lens when the latter is laid into the angular seat formed by said walls, spaced apart fixed coupling bosses within the angular seat of each rim section and integral with the latter, Said lenses having correspondingly spaced openings to embrace said coupling bosses when said lenses are applied to said rim sections, said bosses having outwardly open axially disposed internally threaded bores, perforate retaining elements applicable to the rear faces of said lenses in aligned relation to said coupling boss bores, said peripheral walls of said rim sections having indentations adjacent to the free ends of said coupling bosses conformable to the end portions of said retaining elements and adapted to embrace the latter to retain the same against displacement, and fastening screws the shanks of which are engageable through said elements and threaded into said coupling boss bores.

PAUL MERTENS. 

